There is a need for agents in oral care products that provide enhanced benefits including antibacterial, anticavity, enamel erosion prevention, breath freshening, and the like. The antibacterial effects of zinc ions, stannous ions and/or fluoride ions in the oral cavity are described in the art and numerous attempts have been made to prepare dentifrice compositions incorporating zinc ions, stannous ions and/or fluoride ions to take advantage of therapeutic benefits such as reduced plaque, gum inflammation, gingivitis, and the like. In particular, soluble zinc salts, such as zinc citrate, have been used in dentifrice compositions.
Insoluble zinc ion sources, such as zinc oxide, have also been disclosed for use in dentifrices, see for example US Patent Application Publication 2012/0207686 (“the '686 publication”). However, use of insoluble zinc salts often is limited by the low levels of zinc ions available for delivery to tooth surfaces, and undesirable consumer astringency when higher levels of zinc are used.
It would be desirable to provide an oral care composition which exhibits even greater efficacy than previously-known compositions in its prevention and/or reduction of biofilm, plaque, oral inflammation, and the like.